MISSIONARY PROFILE
Tony
& Kathy
Stark
Missionary Update 02/09/2018
Dear Friends and Family, Operation “Sow the Seed” is already in action. The order has been placed for 1 million tracts (seeds) for sowing. The picture will be the same, but the scriptures will be printed in eight different languages of Africa. It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. This picture is actually a picture of five truths taught in the Bible. You can see Heaven, Hell, Man, the Cross and the Love of God. I will be sending boxes containing 4000 of these tracts to sowers in Africa and they will sow the seed. If we sow enough seed, some will fall on good ground and bring forth fruit, some 30, some 60 and some 100. We are targeting refugee camps, schools, markets and taxi parks in Uganda, Congo, Rwanda and Southern Sudan. Please read Mark 4:1-8 and pray the seed will fall on good ground. Your missionaries to East Africa – Tony and Kathy
Missionary Update 12/28/2017
Dear Friends and Family, My wife and I have been blessed beyond measure. Part of that blessedness is having you partner with us in reaching a world of East Africa with the truth of God's Word in doctrine and practice. I have attached a photo of two men that recently rode their bikes 35 miles to tell Denis what a blessing New Life Radio is to them. They both received Christ while listening to him preach on the radio. Now as new believers they are growing as they continue to listen to various programs proclaiming the truth. As you look at the photo of these two men just think God used you to reach two men 8000 miles away and their lives have been changed for eternity. Be careful if you think on it too long you might shout!! By the way, Denis was one of our son Andrew's best friends as he was a teen in Uganda. When Andrew and I traveled back to Uganda in October, Denis and his wife and new baby took care of us in their home. Not only did they provide each of us with a bed in a private room, but they washed our clothes and prepared out meals. What a blessing it is to find men faithfully serving the Lord and His servants! Thank you again for helping us help others. We would like to wish all of you a merry Christmas full of Jesus and joy. Tony and Kathy
Missionary Update 11/28/2017
Dear Friends and Family, Since our last prayer letter, I preached a Bible Conference for Pastor Bobby Smartt in Dickson, Tennessee. I was Bro. Bobby’s pastor when he was ten years old, and now he is a man of God pastoring Hillview Baptist Church. I also preached in an Ironman Conference at Desoto CI in Arcadia, Florida, with Heart of Florida Prison Ministries. The highlight of the past three months was a 15-day journey to Uganda, Africa. My son Andrew accompanied me on the journey and was a great help to me with my infirmities. Andrew was two years old when we went to Uganda as missionaries. Alex (top left in picture above) picked us up at the airport and drove us anywhere we needed to go. Denis (top right in picture above) housed us, and he and his wife washed our clothes and fed us our meals. Denis and his brother Tony were best friends with Andrew during his latter years in Uganda. Our five checked bags were loaded to the limit with 200 solar radios plus Bibles and tracts. For the first time in all the years of traveling back and forth through that airport, I had to pay customs on items I was bringing into the country to give to the people. They charged me $1100 customs on the radios. We ministered in all three churches we established while residing in Uganda. It was indeed a blessing to see many from as far back as 27 years ago still faithful to the Lord and their church. People I led to the Lord, people that I married and babies that were born are living for the Lord. Every direction we went we got to see preachers. More preachers came to Denis’ house to see us. God has really done a work and is still doing a work worthy of praise in East Africa. TO GOD BE THE GLORY. There are now graduates from Uganda Baptist Bible Institute actively evangelizing, planting churches and training faithful servants in five countries. Joshua, saved in a refugee camp in Uganda, has planted 16 churches in Southern Sudan and Uganda. Berea Baptist Church in Rwanda is growing weekly under the leadership of Pastor Ignace. They have just started erecting a beautiful new building. Pray for approval of a frequency for New Life Radio in Rwanda. Missionary Santo reported on November 12th that he was hearing radio pastor John preaching in Swahili loud and clear deep in Congo. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you and pray and pray and pray for the Lord’s work in East Africa. Thank you!!! Your missionaries to East Africa – Tony and Kathy Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen Ephesians 3:20-21
Missionary Update 05/26/2017
May, 2017 Dear Friends and Family, The most rewarding experience a missionary can have is being able to see the work he has done for the Lord continue to be fruitful even after he has left the work and returned home for whatever reason. Through the leadership of Pastor Richard Oleo in Masindi, the preachers and graduates of UBBI are enjoying preaching and fellowship for three days this week. On Friday seven students will graduate from Faith Baptist Bible Institute (formerly UBBI). For me the most exciting factor is that all the leading and teaching was done by former graduates of UBBI. Men like Gilbert, Augustine, Oleo and others have been faithful and done the job. To God be the glory! One special note is that one of the seven graduates, Emmanuel, was the first child born to Henry and Cedrik who were the first couple I married after arriving in Uganda. Graduates were: Rwabugahya Vicent of Masindi, Mwesigwa Emmanuel of Buhimba, Pithua Johnson of Kaiso, Uyi Yesu Yosia, Vudriko Stephen of Moyo, Angei Juliet of Masindi, wife of Pastor Oleo and Driciru Grace formerly from Arua ministry now in Masindi. Pastor Ignace wrote me a nice letter updating me on how things are with Berea Baptist Church in Rwanda. It was one year ago when Kathy and I travelled there to assist him in the planting of a new church. He says they have at least two to join each Sunday and now have 192 members. A couple weeks ago he baptized six. They have a young man that has a burden to start a church in one of the districts in northern Rwanda. Please join us in praying about Daniel’s training for the ministry. Robert, Denis and Alex continue to send me reports of people being saved and edified as a result of broadcasting from New Life Radio. Pray for more preachers to have programs in the various local languages, especially Alur and Kiswahili. Denis wrote: Teacher Annet from Kyarwabuyamba Hoima town is now on my prayer list. After losing her biological mother she had resorted to drinking and was full of anger and strife. But New Life Radio has helped her so much to recover from such dilemma. She got born again and we have shared a lot together. Being a single mother, she faces a lot of challenges. She told me what she went through and for now she is continuously rejoicing for the existence of this station. Personally I may sometime feel exhausted and weary but for such people like teacher Annet, I have always found myself moving another extra mile. I know many of you have been praying for me and my physical struggles. I have seen seven doctors and getting ready for an eighth. So far, they have told me the following: Due to a previous stroke I have damage that causes my speech to be slow at times. It also makes it difficult to sometimes get a thought from my brain to my mouth to say something. I have no way of knowing when this will happen. It comes and goes. I have atrial fibrillation - the top part of my heart beats faster than the lower part and causes my heart to beat out of rhythm at times. It makes me more susceptible to having a stroke. I have what is called pseudobulbar affect. It is also related to brain damage due to my stroke. Signals get crossed and cause me to cry without reason - even to the point of sobbing. Most of the time I have no indication when it is going to happen. With this in mind, pray I might make right decisions. Your missionaries to East Africa – Tony and Kathy
Missionary Update 03/06/2017
Dear Friends and Family, I would like to begin this letter by sharing my appreciation and thanksgiving for my home church in Madison, Alabama. In 1989 God directed me to resign as pastor of Madison Baptist Church to go to Uganda as a missionary. MBC recognized the Holy Spirit’s call on my life for a new work and agreed to send me out as their first member/missionary of the church. When our new pastor, Mike Allison, came he recommended they support member/missionaries for one fourth of their needed support. Since that time over 30 members have taken their families to various parts of the world as missionaries of MBC. The ministry was initially called East Africa Outreach as that was the name of our ministry in Uganda but, as others were added and going to other parts of the world, the name was changed to Madison Baptist Church World Missions. They receive our support, send receipts, and distribute the support to the various missionaries. That is a lot of work when you do it for 27 different ones. They visit us on the field and keep us accountable. They type, print and send out our prayer letters. A special prayer meeting is held once a month to pray for those that have been sent out of Madison Baptist Church. I have just scratched the surface of all that is done by volunteer workers of my home church. I won’t mention names lest I forget someone but want to say thank you to them for helping us do the Lord’s work in East Africa. Alex and Denis have completed almost all of the needed repairs to both NLR stations. They are waiting on just a couple of spare parts to finish the job. However, through it all, they are still broadcasting and receiving calls from listeners. Denis wrote last week with these words of appreciation. “Just got a call from Elias in Malebe Congo. He is excited and sends his sincere appreciation to whoever has been there to support New Life Radio for a continuous broadcast.” We will never know all that God is doing through your prayers and support of New Life Radio. I know we are reaching and ministering to people in Congo, Southern Sudan and Uganda. Please pray for the men who keep the station going and provide preaching in various languages. Pastor Alex (Runyoro), Denis (Runyoro), Robert, Pastor Stephen, Pastor John (Swahili), Pastor William (Alur) and Pastor Joshua (Bari). I have gone from not having a doctor to having six. After going to the emergency room I followed up with a primary doctor and was then referred to five others for various matters. They are finding problems. Please pray as I continue with various tests that we will learn what we need to know and what to do in response. I am teaching New Testament Survey this term plus preaching and teaching in various churches. If you need someone to teach or preach in one or more services feel free to call me at 256 701 1930. Your missionaries to East Africa – Tony and Kathy Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen Ephesians 3:20-21
